CHILDREN will be killed if dangerous parking outside a Bradford on Avon primary school continues, according to a group of concerned residents.

Parents dropping and picking up their children at Christ Church School, in Berryfield Road, double-park, ignore yellow lines, park on blind bends and drive along curbs.

Helen Webb, who lives opposite the school, said: "It's absolutely ridiculous. A child is going to get killed.

"It's just complete laziness from the parents. It only takes three minutes to walk to the school from around the corner but they insist on parking right outside the school."

Another resident Ben Stacey said there should be zigzag lines painted outside the school and the speed limit reduced to 20mph.

"People use this road as a rat run," he said. "Parents who juggle for spaces and park on the pavements cause obstructions and it means children crossing the road can't see behind the cars."

The residents are also fed up with parents blocking their driveways, despite yellow and white lines on the road, while others are concerned about access to the nearby Cedar Court, a sheltered home for the elderly.

On Tuesday a bus could not get past the cars and a number of elderly residents had to get off and walk up the hill to their homes. A tenant of Cedar Court described the situation as a nightmare.' Christ Church headteacher Neil Baker said the school joined the residents in their frustration over the parking and said he had tried to discourage the use of cars to bring children to school.

"The school constantly writes to parents asking them to be considerate to neighbours. However, a small minority still seem to ignore advice," he said.

"The school has no jurisdiction over bad or illegal parking and is constantly referring the situation to the local police." He said the school was planning a public meeting to discuss the situation.

Pc Martin Annetts, from Bradford on Avon police said they were aware of the situation and the school was working with other local authorities.

A spokesman from Wiltshire County Council said it was not the council's responsibility to enforce parking restrictions but hoped the situation would improve when the district council takes over responsibility in 2007.

The residents are considering monitoring the street themselves by going out in the busy periods to talk to parents and are asking anyone with ideas on how to solve the situation to email parkingbadly@aol.com